Here are my observations running ArcaOS 5.03 on the ThinkPad 25. The ThinkPad 25 is the ThinkPad Anniversery Edition, based on the ThinkPad T470 series with some Modifications, especially a Special Keyboard. This is in fact the best Keeyboard I have ever used.
I will modifiy this text here, as it is work in Progress.
First: Hardware Modifications
Usually it is not possible to use ArcaOS with the ThinkPad 25 if it comes right from the factory. It includes a NVMe M2280 512 GB SSD. This NVMe Controller is not supported by ArcaOS, as there are no Drivers. Fortunately the Laptop has an inbuild SATA/AHCI Controller as well. So I bought and installed an SATA/AHCI M2280 SSD with 1TB size.
Second: BIOS Settings
- disable secure Boot
- enable CSM Module
- change NVMe to SATA
Third: Preparing the SSD
- I wanted to keep the Original "Thinkpad 25 Signature Edition" of Windows 10 and so I installed it first from the Recovery USB Stick
- In fact I did this BEFORE I changed the BIOS settings
- as the recovery tool allways creates a GPT hardware Layout, I had to convert it then
- to convert I used a special Linux Version, as I mentioned elsewhere in this forum
- I then installed EASEUS Partition Manager to shrink Windows 10 and add Partitions
- one of the Partitions is FAT32 formatted, to exchange data between Windows and ArcaOS
- I then installed DFSEE and added LVM Informations to the SSD
- Finally I installed the AIRBOOT Manager
Fourth: Adding ArcaOS
Due to the lack of USB 3 drivers and having no USB 2.0 mode on the Thinkpad 25, ArcaOS can not be installed from DVD/USB. It may work with a Dockingstation, but I do not have one. Therefore I made it the "Usual way" I am using: Cloning and Restoring with DFSEE.
So I installed a fresh ArcaOS 5.03 on the Lenovo X200T, what went flaweless. I added some programs as mentioned elsewhere here, i.e. The Warp Server for e-business components, Bonuspak, DOSBOX, ....
I then created a clone and copied this clone on the Thinkpad 25 inside Windows 10. There I restored it with DFSEE to the designed Partition.
Reboot.
Fifth: Observations (in short)
What works (great!):
- FullHD Video Resolution with reasonable performance
- Sound (but no control on volume/loudness, with some applications it works i.e. mplayer)
- LAN
- Keyboard Backlight (via Keyboard combination)
- all 4 kernels supported
- Power Management (funny: the T25 has got two internal batteries, while the Widget in xcenter Dows Show only 5% the Power Allication does Show 77%. See Picture attached. I guess this is because xcenter does Show one battery, the program does Show both.)
- AHCI SATA controller with superb performance
- creating a RAM disk (but see below)
Not working/supported:
- WLAN
- USB (only 3.0)
- Touch support (depending on USB I guess, so I did not contact Wim Brul so far)
- DOS and WINOS2
- Bluetooth
- Camera (depending on USB I guess as well)
- RAM management: the T25 has got 16GB of RAM, but only 1.3GB are usable as "Low Memory". One can create a 14GB RAM disk, but this is a problem on modern hardware that can hopefully be resolved
Conclusion:
Really great! Once USB 3 and the Memory Problem is solved, it would make even more sense and fun!
Please see Picture.
